Liquid dropper



P. J. MaCAULEY LIQUID DROPPER Jan. 8, 1929.

Filed April 10, 1923 Patented Jan.. 8, 192% unirse rires PATRICK J'. MACAULEY, OF PORTLAND, OREGON.

LIQUID nnorrnn.

.application sled .april 1o,l

My invention relates to liquid droppers and has for its objects the production of a device by which the separation of the liquid into drops is definitely facilitated; provision is made for liquid. discharge from a soft terminal. adapted to touch a sensitive organ like the eye, for example, without danger of injuring it; means for regulating the intake capacity of the dropper is provided 3 and positive protection against accidental breakage of the instrument is incorporated in it.

Vf hat constitutes my invention will be here inafter specified in detail and succinctly set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing, in which my invention is illustrated in present preferred form of embodiment,

Figure I is a medial longitudinal section of one form of my dropper.

Figure II is a similar viewof a slight modiication of my dropper.

Figure III is an end view of the subject matter of Figure I loolring towards the discharge end of the dropper.

Figure IV is a section on the line IV-IV of Figure II.

Referring to the numerals on the drawings, 1 indicates a dropper-barrel which is preferably made of rigid material, usually glass, and 2, a collapsible bulb made as of india rubber, and operatively afxed in any suitable manner, usual or preferred, to one end of the barrel 1.

In Figure I the barrel 1 is shown as provided at its end opposite the bulb 2 with a tapered discharge nozzle 3, while in Figure II a barrel 4 is shown as being cylindrical throughout its length. In the former iigure a close fitting terminal elastic rubber sheath 5 for the nozzle 3 is shown, while in the latter iigure a conical rubber thimble 6 for the cylindrical end of the barrel a is shown. The sheath 5 as well as the thimble 6 is provided with a lateral integral annular projection 7 at or near the termination of its skirtportion, which, being made of soft rubber, constitutes at once a cushion and a constricting ring for holding the sheath or thimble in place upon its barrel. The outside diameter of the projection 7 is preferably approximately equal to that of the bulb 2, whereby the members 2 and 7 cooperate to support the intermediate barrel and to protect it against breakage in case it should fall upon a hard. surface, as of a table or floor.

The sheath i as well as the 'thimble (i is 1923. Serial No. 631,172.

provided with a terminal discharge tip 8, which may be of any length preferred. The special oflice of the tip is to afford a discharge nozzle of a soft material which may be presented directly to or even in contact with a delicate member, like the eyeball for instance, without danger of injuring it if a patient should give a sudden start during the appli cation of the dropper. The form of barrel 1 and its sheath 5 is for some purposes desirable, because, if occasion requires, the sheath may be stripped from its nozzle 3 without impairment of the functional capacity of the instrument. Such provision is useful if it should be desired to use the dropper for a liquid which might injure the rubber of the sheath but which would not affect the glass barrel and nozzle.

Within t-he barrel 1 or t, I provide a plug 10 which is adjustable endwise of the barrel and is penetrated by a longitudinally disposed duct 11. By the adjustment of the plug 10 as through pressure applied against it from either side by pushing instrument inserted into either open end of the barrel 1, as required, means for measuring the intake capacity of the dropper, to suit the occasion of use, is provided.

What I claim is 1. In a liquid dropper, the combination with a rigid barrel terminating in a nozzlelike discharge, of a collapsible bulb opposite the discharge end of the barrel, and a plug having a duct within and adjustable endwise of the barrel substantially for the purpose specified.

2. The combination with a liquid dropper having a rigid tubular element, of a slip-over cap of soft elastic material for the dispensing end of said tubular element, said cap being of substantially conical shape and having a dispensing aperture at its apex, the other end of said cap being adjustable over the dispensing end of said tubular element and being provided with an integral radially extending annular flange of substantial width, said flange serving to grip tightly the end of the tubular element to secure the cap in connection therewith and also to maintain said end of the tubular element out of contact with a supporting surface.

3. The combination with a liquid dropper having a rigid tubular element, of a slip-over cap of soft elastic material for the dispensing end of said. tubular element, said cap being of substantially conical shape and having a diepensingaperture at its apex, the other cap -in connect-ion lthere-With and also to end of said cap being adjustable over the dismaintainV Said end of the tubular element out pensng end of said tubular element and beof Contact with a supporting surface. 10 ing provided at its extremity With an integral In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set 5 radially extending annular lange of substaninyhand.

tial Width, said flange Serving to grip tightly the end of the tubular element to seenre vthe PATRICK J. MACAULEY. 

